Dentists are nothing if not professional. They manage a rotating cast of patients with a range of dental needs, from basic maintenance to complete overhauls. They manage those patients with care, consistency, and compassion, while juggling the many pressures of personal and professional life.

Your education at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) must equip you to be such a professional. It is entirely justifiable for the school to demand professional conduct from its students, but allegations of unprofessionalism should never be made carelessly.

Too often, Terrapin Dentistry students face accusations of unprofessionalism that are, on their face, subjective. Even if an accusation has merit, students are at risk of being sanctioned in an overly punitive way.

If you or your student is accused of unprofessional conduct at UMSOD, call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team right away at 888-535-3686 or contact us online. We protect students from the devastating consequences of harsh discipline and, in doing so, safeguard their future goals and ambitions in dentistry.

The Terrapin Dentistry Definition of Unprofessionalism

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry has a robust Professionalism Policy that is lengthy, wide-reaching, and the defining document for professionalism violations. The policy’s stated aim is benevolent as its authors want “to promote, instill, and support civil, respectful, and professional attributes that will help UMSOD students to be well prepared to make a positive contribution to the profession of dentistry.”

Students at UMSOD are expected to exhibit the “key attributes of professionalism,” including:

  • Integrity

  • Empathy

  • Teamwork and Diplomacy

  • Respect

  • Communication

  • Time Management

  • Patient Advocacy

  • Competent Delivery of Services

  • Self-Confidence

  • Appearance and Personal Hygiene

The policy then lists several specific violations of these attributes. From verbal abuse to errors in their dental practice to discrimination against patients, there is a lengthy list of issues that can lead to an accusation of unprofessional conduct.

The Primary Problem With “Unprofessionalism” Allegations: Subjectivity

On paper, an accusation such as “being dismissive of a patient’s concerns” might sound straightforward. The truth is that “dismissive” is a subjective term. What one dentist might consider direct but respectful communication could be construed by a patient, peer, or superior as dismissiveness.

Subjectivity is an issue we encounter in virtually every professional case we handle. Very few of the allegations of unprofessionalism we encounter are truly objective or irrefutable. Instead, we often find that:

  • The person accused has a very different perception of events than their accuser

  • Several parties involved in the case have differing opinions about whether the student’s conduct was truly unprofessional

  • The accusation is undeniably subjective, yet university officials are willing to impose tangible, immensely harmful sanctions on the accused student

It’s our responsibility to present the student’s perspective on the subjective issue. We can also highlight that the accusation is a matter of opinion and that it would be unjust to sanction the student based on mere opinion.

Unprofessionalism Is Only Alleged Until This Adjudication Process Is Complete

UMSOD’s Judicial Policy is the reference manual for adjudicating alleged unprofessional conduct. This Judicial Policy categorizes unprofessionalism as an “infraction,” rather than a “serious offense.”

UMSOD addresses alleged infractions (including unprofessional conduct) by:

  • Funneling the complaint to the Faculty Co-Chair of the Judicial Board, who conducts a preliminary review

  • Completing the preliminary review to ensure they have jurisdiction over the issue, and there is sufficient evidence to proceed further with the adjudication process (this process will not involve negotiating a resolution, though the Co-Chair may speak with the accused student)

  • Potentially taking interim measures, such as suspending the student from participation in dentistry activities

  • If the matter proceeds, a Judicial Panel (which is a contingent of members of the Judicial Board) becomes involved

  • The Co-Chair potentially recommending dismissal of the case due to insufficient evidence (and the Judicial Panel voting on that decision)

  • If the case is not dismissed, parties have the chance to resolve the issue through a Conference for Resolution, mediation, or both

  • If all parties do not reach a resolution, the completion of a hearing (and a pre-hearing process that precedes it)

  • The Judicial Panel deliberating and possibly recommending sanctions (or a finding that the student is not responsible) to the presiding Dean in the form of a report

  • The Dean rendering a decision, which might include the imposition of sanctions

In certain circumstances, students have the right to appeal:

  • The findings in the Judicial Panel’s report

  • For the modification of sanctions

  • For a new hearing

The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team often helps our clients avoid sanctions, but we are always ready to file appeals. Decision-makers do not always get it right the first time, and appeals are among the most fundamental rights for dentistry students accused of unprofessionalism.

Even Flimsy Unprofessionalism Allegations Can Turn Your Life (and Career) Upside Down

UMSOD’s Judicial Policy notes that “Sanctions should reflect the nature of the misconduct,” but dentistry students far too often face disproportionately harsh punishments for alleged unprofessional conduct. Some of the sanctions that we help students avoid are:

  • Formal reprimands for allegations that lack merit

  • Probation

  • Remediation

  • Suspension

  • Temporary or permanent dismissal from the dentistry program

Sanctions suffered during your collegiate career can reverberate throughout your professional career. The very course of your dentistry career might be shifted downward because of sanctions.

If it becomes inevitable for you to avoid sanctions, we will fight for the least punitive sanctions possible. The goal is to minimize harm to your reputation and your dentistry career.

The LLF National Law Firm Will Be Your Ardent Advocates in the Face of an Unprofessionalism Charge

Our law firm prides itself on being stronger than a Terrapin’s shell, providing protection from undue pressure, due-process violations, and hasty sanctions.

Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online. Countless students can attest to our effectiveness as representatives during disciplinary proceedings, so do not wait to speak with us.

University of Maryland School of Dentistry

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